Lions quarterback Jonathon Jennings had five interceptions over two games against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, both B.C. losses.John Woods / THE CANADIAN PRESS

For a certain segment of B.C. Lions fans, it was one more opportunity to toss a log on Jonathon Jennings’ small campfire of screw-ups.

Less than three minutes remained in last Saturday’s game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, the Lions ahead 32-25, when Jennings rolled out on a first-down play, looking for receiver Shawn Gore.

But, for the third time in the game, Jennings’ throw ended up in the wrong hands, a re-enactment of egregious late-game interceptions against Edmonton (Sept. 23) and Calgary (July 29) that either pulled defeat from the jaws of victory or sabotaged an opportunity for the Lions to win.

This time, disaster came in the form of Blue Bombers halfback Kevin Fogg. He returned the Jennings faux pas 50 yards before Winnipeg quarterback Matt Nichols threw a 10-yard touchdown to Clarence Denmark to tie the game following the turnover. The Bombers went on to win 35-32.

“That can’t happen,” Jennings said Wednesday, looking back on last Saturday’s game but also looking ahead to Saturday’s opponent, the Eskimos. “When you’ve got a lead like that, you can’t let it slide. It was a stupid mistake. When the other team earns it, that’s one thing. But you just can’t give them opportunities like that. It says a lot about the way I play. I’ve won games by being aggressive. And I’ve lost games by being aggressive. You’ve just got to find that middle ground — of when to be aggressive and when to play smart. I’ve got to play smarter.”

The interception — and Jennings’ reaction to it — was yet another case of deja vu. With the Lions trailing by a single point, 24-23, last month at Commonwealth Stadium, he had a pass picked off by Deon Lacey with 3:47 to go. The Eskimos proceeded to run down the clock with seven straight running plays before Sean Whyte kicked a field goal — and the Esks won 27-23.

Same scenario July 29 in Calgary. Nursing an eight-point lead with less than two minutes to play, Jennings had an ill-advised pass picked off by the Stampeders’ Ciante Evans. Two plays later, the Stamps were in the end zone. Tie game. Calgary went on to win 44-41 in overtime.

Strong-armed, agile, with tons of ability and star power, Jennings can pass teams silly: He had 749 yards through the air in back-to-back games against the Blue Bombers. But he also had five interceptions in those two games — 38.5 per cent of the 13 picks he has thrown this season.

By consensus, the interception is the ultimate sin for a quarterback. Doesn’t matter how they happen — Jennings’ throwing motion was impeded on the killer pick by Fogg last Saturday — or whether he simply is following the coordinator’s call for a risky, high-stakes bet when caution might be a more appropriate wager. An interception goes on the quarterback’s record, and he accepts the blame, something Jennings is becoming good at.

“Coming down the stretch, if the play’s not there, throw it away,” he says. “Do anything but throw an interception. If I throw it away, we punt, and we still lose, at least I’ve been smart. I just have to know the situation better. Pressure causes you to do something in a panic. I’ve got to be smarter about those situations.”

Such is the measure of Jennings’ cool that he can calmly and rationally talk about his shortcomings without being wary or feeling put upon by the line of questioning. And such is coach Wally Buono’s faith in him that the suggestion of turning to veteran Travis Lulay is not in the realm of consideration. When emails to his office suggest as much, Buono quips that he doesn’t read them. He simply hits the delete button.

“When other people coach the team, they can do that. When I’m coaching the team, I’m not doing that,” Buono says. “Jonathon gives us the best opportunity to win. Seriously. OK, he’s made (late-game) interceptions. But how many times has he done the opposite, by making the great throws, making the great drives to help us win games?”

Love him. Doubt him. Praise him. Criticize him. Jennings may elicit a range of emotions for Lions fans. But, five times this season, he has been the quarterback for game-winning drives in the fourth quarter, more than any other CFL player at the position.

“Have I thought about it once or twice (pulling Jennings)? Yes,” Buono admits. “But to get him through the learning curve, I’ve got to allow for some mistakes. If you pull him or replace him every time that happens, they never grow. With all the spectacular throws that he makes, you have to pay the price once in a while.”

He could go with experience, and no one would criticize him, because that’s the call most coaches would make.

But Buono is comfortable with himself, believing his faith in Jennings is not a gutsy call at all.

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